1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to baseball glove training devices designed to aid coaches in teaching their players to catch a thrown or hit ball in the palm of the glove instead of in the web of the glove. More particularly, the preset invention pertains to those baseball glove training devices which attach to the back portion of the player's glove so as to prevent a player from closing the glove. As a result, the player is forced to use both hands to catch the ball in the palm of the glove, thereby deflecting the ball into the throwing hand already in front of the glove before the ball reaches the player. This teaches the player to get rid of the ball quickly once the ball is caught, which is referred to as developing quick hands.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Baseball glove training aids have been designed to teach a player to catch the ball with two hands by glancing an incoming ball off a device held on the catching hand and into the throwing hand, so as to aid the player in developing quick hands. Many gloves are designed with large webs which are designed to collapse as the ball enters the web. With this type of glove, the player is encouraged to one hand catch the ball in the web of the glove. There are disadvantages with one handed catches. One disadvantage is the time elapsed between catching the ball and getting rid of the ball. The player loses time in having to reach into the glove and pull the ball out. The player can get rid of the ball quicker if he or she glances the ball off the palm of the glove and into the throwing hand, which is in front of the glove before the ball reaches the player. While the player is catching the ball with both hands, he or she is also positioning his or her feet arid shoulders to through the ball to another player. This technique is often used by infielders when trying to turn a double play, or by outfielders when trying to prevent runners from advancing.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,121,824 issued Oct. 24, 1978 to Robert K. Hirschfield discloses a baseball training glove having a inflexible web which prevents the ball from being trapped in the web, thereby requiring a player wearing the glove to make a two-handed catch.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,637,610 issued Jan. 20, 1987 to Damon L. Carr discloses a baseball training device which forms a scoop made of rigid material to be placed inside of a glove, thereby preventing a player from closing the glove on a ball.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,802,669 issued Feb. 7, 1989 to Peter C. Birmingham discloses a baseball training device using a triangular shaped pad with rounded off corners. Straps located in the back of the pad wrap around the fingers of the player's catching hand. The player has to trap an incoming ball on the front of the pad with the throwing hand as the ball makes contact with the front of the pad.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,874,168 issued Oct. 17, 1989 to Robert L. Wright discloses a baseball glove training device similar Birmingham's device except for the shape of the pad, which is semicircular in shape.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,817,209 issued Apr. 4, 1989 to Roger W. Lehmann et al discloses a child's baseball glove having a strap attachable over the bottom of the glove to form a pocket over the palm of the glove, thereby allowing a young child more easily to catch and retain a ball in the pocket of the glove.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.